Electric catfish, or Malapteruridae (from Ancient Greek μαλακός (malakós) meaning "soft", πτερόν (pterón), meaning "wing", and οὐρά (ourá), meaning "tail"), is a family of catfishes (order Siluriformes). This family includes two genera, Malapterurus and Paradoxoglanis, with 21 species. Several species of this family have the ability to generate electricity, delivering a shock of up to 350 volts from its electric organ. Electric catfish are found in tropical Africa and the Nile River. The largest can grow to about 1.2 meters (3 ft) long, but most species are far smaller.
Description
thumb|left|Section of an electric catfish, showing the electric organ
The Malapteruridae are the only group of catfish with well-developed electrogenic organs; however, electroreceptive systems are widespread in catfishes. Electric catfish do not have dorsal fins or fin spines. They have three pairs of barbels (the nasal pair is absent). The Egyptians reputedly used the electric shock from them when treating arthritis pain. They would use only smaller fish, as a large fish may generate a dangerous electric shock from 300 to 400 volts. The Egyptians depicted the fish in their mural paintings and elsewhere;
An account of its electric properties was given by an Arab physician Abd al-Latif al-Baghdadi of the 12th century; then as now, the fish was known by the suggestive name of , which means "thunder".